elusive map room

Elusive map room, Peter Desmet, March 2010

VertNet team

VertNet is a collaborative effort, bringing together the expertise of biodiversity scientists and informatics experts. The team, led by the University of California Berkeley, includes the University of Colorado, Tulane University, and the University of Kansas.

1 about 2 project 3 timeline 4 team 5 events

VertNet people

Carla Cicero, VertNet Lead PI, photo Carla Cicero
Lead Project PI, University of California, Berkeley
Carla Cicero, Staff Curator of Birds at the MVZ, served as a PI on the ORNIS project. Her research on genetic, morphologic, and song variation in western North America birds takes her to many cool places. Carla also manages Arctos at the MVZ, is responsible for the MVZ audio collection, and co-manages the MVZ historical archives of field notes and photographs. Carla loves working with birds but also has other interests, including fishing, cooking, traveling, and gardening.
Hank Bart, VertNet PI, photo Hank Bart
PI, Tulane University
It is raining. The horizon at which clouds become wet stones on the street is indistinguishable. New Orleans is tired. A tall, dark stranger enters the room and sits down beside you. Turquoise and silver flash in your peripheral vision as he orders a bourbon, neat. “Fish,” he says. You turn to face a distinguished looking academic. “The Tulane Museum of Natural History just can’t get enough of ‘em.”
David Bloom, VertNet Coordinator, photo David Bloom
VertNet Coordinator, University of California, Berkeley
David has a penchant for odd jobs. In fact, he seems to revel in the absurdity of employment. You’re just as likely to catch him explaining electricity to Tibetan monks as hand carrying thousands of pinned insects across a Boulder hillside. Dave now spends an inordinate amount of time herding cats and other vertebrates and sighing audibly when confronted with social media.
Rob Guralnick, VertNet PI, photo Rob Guralnick
 PI, University of Colorado
Rob cedes the remainder of his bio to Dave Bloom to write for him. Ahem. Much like the free-floating algae that Rob considers to be his family in his watery home away from home, Rob is a roaming crusader for biodiversity data sharing and mobilization. Nomadic as his habits may be, Rob still finds time to park his posterior on a Gary Fisher, worship his inestimable partner in crime, and drive his advisees to the brink of insanity with last minute meeting rescheduling.
Michelle Koo, photo Michelle Koo
 Senior Personnel, University of California, Berkeley
Need a map? Call Koo. Data points plotting in the wrong county? Call Koo. GIS acting like a DIVA? Call Koo. Michelle is on call 24/7 for all your GIS and map-related needs. Emergency service is available same day. Reasonable rates. “My range maps were blur of swirling color, but Michelle dove right in and helped me distinguish my Batrachoseps attenuatus from my Ambystoma californiense — and she hardly teased me at all! I highly recommend her!” — Anonymous client.
Nelson Rios, VertNet Co-PI, photo Nelson Rios
Co-PI, Tulane University
The honest truth is this: you have not lived until you’ve been to an official Rios family barbecue. New Orleans culinary tradition meets Cuban rhythm meets Uruguayan spirit; it’ll make your body and your taste buds dance like Mardi Gras in full swing. Don’t worry if you’re not much of a dancer, fish stories abound for those inclined to talk the night away.
Laura Russell, VertNet Programmer, photo Laura Russell
VertNet Programmer, University of Kansas
Laura is a geek girl from Kansas who abandoned dreams of becoming a French foreign correspondent (or a librarian) for the lure of technology. She spent many years doing all-things computer-related at a golf association until she came to her senses and went back to her alma mater, the University of Kansas, to work for VertNet where she now helps biodiversity institutions publish their specimen (and observation) data online. She likes working with data, thinks it's fun to write SQL statements and enjoys playing board games with friends.
Carol Spencer, VertNet Co-PI, photo Carol Spencer
Co-PI, University of California, Berkeley
Carol is the Staff Curator of Herpetology and researcher at the MVZ and served previously as the Project Coordinator for HerpNET. Her primary research interests include biogeography, geographic variation, biodiversity informatics, and life history evolution. On her own time, you’ll find Carol playing with her dog, seeking solutions to flower-eating deer, drinking tequila, or catching rattlesnakes in Mexico.
Aaron Steele, photo Aaron Steele
Information Architect, University of California, Berkeley
Aaron has a CS degree from Berkeley and currently works there as an information architect. When not trail running or running after his son Noah, he helps design and write code for VertNet web apps, servers, and APIs. Aaron enjoys reading self-introductions written in the third person.
Dave Vieglais, VertNet Co-PI, photo Dave Vieglais
PI, University of Kansas
Dave lives in a two-dimensional 6”x6” box inside his computer. His box has an infinite number of windows that allow him to appear on your computer screen via a multitude of communications APIs so that he can manage his copious and internationally significant data projects. It is a treat to see Dave in his 3D holographic form, but don’t ask him what technology he uses to project himself around the globe. Some things are better left unknown.
John Wieczorek, photo John Wieczorek
Information Architect, University of California, Berkeley
John has no degree of any consequence, putters at his desk, mutters things about standards and uncertainties, and only took the job to support his beach volleyball habit. He recently bought a spiffy new bike so he can get away quickly. Word on the street is that he actually likes to help people.

VertNet integrations

The project will integrate will several targeted biodiversity and collection management applications:

  • AmphibiaWeb
  • Animal Diversity Web
  • Arctos
  • DataONE
  • Encyclopedia of Life
  • GEOLocate
  • Map of Life
  • Specify